By Derrick Bangura

As Nigerians continue to lament the insecurity ravaging the country, the federal government on Wednesday blamed the recent attack on a Kaduna-bound train on an unholy alliance between Boko Haram insurgents and rampaging bandits. Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, disclosed this at the State House, Abuja, while briefing newsmen, along with Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd), at the end of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.

That was as members of the House of Representatives, on Wednesday at plenary, reiterated their call on the federal government to declare a state of emergency on security in Nigeria. Reacting to the recent escalations in insecurity, particularly the killings in Plateau State, the lawmakers demanded the sack of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major-General Babagana Monguno (rtd.) and Minister of Defence, Major-General Bashir Magashi (rtd)
Former Governor of Anambra State and presidential aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi, stated the recent killing of over 100 people in Plateau State and over 20 persons in Benue State was horrific and unacceptable.

But the presidency on Wednesday reacted formally to Tuesday’s call by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) on Buhari to resign as a result of the worsening security situation in the country. The presidency dubbed the call a ploy by desperate politicians to get power.

The federal government said, though the security agencies are still working hard to unravel the group behind the attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train, preliminary report showed that some criminal groups had collaborated to perpetrate the act. It urged Nigerians to also cooperate with government to smoke out the criminals.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja, at the end of the weekly FEC meeting, Magashi and Mohammed assured that the government was on top of the matter.

Responding to a question on whether the government had identified those behind the attack, Magashi said, “Honestly, I think the security chiefs are working hard to unveil those that are involved, and we will tell you very soon those that are carrying out these attacks.

“Both attacks in Jos and Kaduna, we will come and explain to the public what is really going on and our efforts to ensure that all these activities are stopped once and for all. We are really on top of the situation, we are planning hard and we will get it out as soon as possible.”

Speaking also, Mohammed said, “What is happening now is that there is a kind of an unholy handshake between bandits and Boko Haram insurgents.

“Preliminary reports of what transpired at the Kaduna train attacks show that there is a kind of collaboration between the bandits and the dislodged Boko Haram terrorists from the North-east. I can tell you very confidently that the federal government is on the top of this matter.”

The information minister said the federal government was doing all within its powers to achieve the rescue of the train passengers kidnapped by the terrorists. He said this in response to the 72-hour ultimatum given government by families of victims of the train attack to secure the release of their loved ones or they would take their fate in their hands.

He submitted that security operatives were working behind the scenes to get the captives released before long, adding that such moves would not be made known to members of the public in order not to jeopardise the steps being taken.

Mohammed stated, “What the federal government is doing won’t be subject matter of a press conference, because we have lives at stake. The various arms of security are working night and day to unravel the mystery surrounding the attack as a whole.

“On the kidnapped people, what I can assure you is that the respective arms of government actually engaged, as we speak, are working to get those victims released.

“It’s natural for anybody who is a father or a mother of a kidnapped person to be worried and to be concerned. But at the level of government, we appreciate that and we are leaving no stone unturned, but that we’ll give you specific steps we’re taking, I think it will be counterproductive and not going to aid or help those who are kidnapped or help the security forces who are tracing and ensuring that there’ll be no repeat of such attacks.”

In his own reaction to the killings in Plateau and Benue states, Obi said, “Such violence questions government’s responsibility to protect lives and property. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims of these wicked acts.

“As a nation, we cannot be insensitive to the on-going bloodletting and targeting of the most vulnerable and helpless in our society. Security measures must be proactive and holistic; more so, in areas close to ungoverned rural and urban communities. Nigeria must cease being a killing field. These numbers are human beings and loved ones of many families.”